Chapter 838: Taking You on a Raid!

Back in Peace Haven, Henwell shows everyone the battle footage he recorded with a Memory Crystal.

The expeditionary army's ferocious performance leaves Peace Haven's military and administrative leaders speechless for a long while.

Henwell looks around the silent meeting room and sneers. "Heh... What's wrong? Why isn't anyone talking?"

"You're usually so full of yourselves. Don't you all believe that no one can match you except your fellow units?"

"Don't you keep saying that the only army capable of defeating half of Peace Haven's forces is the other half?"

"Nothing to say now?"

"You haven't conquered the world yet, but you're already calling yourselves invincible. Do you really think you're that impressive?"

"Come on. Have a good look!"

"These are the powerful forces beyond our continent. This is the world beyond the world you know!"

"Work it out for yourselves. Could you hold off an army like this?"

"The Abundant Continent has sent fifteen legions like these. How many could you stop?"

"If we want to take more territory and population after the Calamity War, the empire and the church will inevitably try to hold us down."

"Once we completely annex a country, the Western Federation will turn against us."

"Try to annex another, and we'll have to face these elite armies directly. Are you capable of fighting them?"

Cold sweat runs down their faces as they stare blankly at the battle footage.

Henwell surveys the room. "So don't question my decisions and plans. Above all, don't act behind my back on assumptions you've never bothered to test."

"I know you have ambition. You need the ability and judgment to back it up."

"Take a good look."

"These are the opponents we have to face. The kingdoms' armies aren't the only obstacle in our way. They aren't even the greatest!"

"This Calamity War is your chance to forge yourselves."

"Don't worry about moving slowly. Time is on our side. Take each step carefully, and make sure it's the right one. That's what matters."

"Every legion commander and warband commander will submit a battle plan for fighting these expeditionary elites."

"Every head of an administrative department will give me an assessment of the resources and power the empire and the church can draw on."

"The research and development departments will analyze their technology and explain how we should respond. I also want feasibility reports on our own development priorities."

"I'll read your submissions carefully, so don't think you can bluff your way through. Afterward, I'll speak to each of you in turn."

With that, Henwell turns and strides out.

A scare will do these increasingly restless officials some good.

It should at least curb their impatience and arrogance.

They are hardly likely to lose all fighting spirit. As long as Henwell keeps his nerve, his subordinates will not crumble either.

If they really are that useless, Peace Haven has plenty of bold young people to take their place.

Henwell needs them to grow steadily during the Calamity War, hone their armies in battle, and produce more professionals.

He also needs the war to drive further technological progress.

Peace Haven now has more than twenty regular legions, with over four hundred thousand elite soldiers. Over the course of this long war, half of them could become professionals.

If that happens, Henwell's later plans will be much easier to carry out.

Henwell has also learned something from Nissen in Everwinter City.

After the Calamity War, the empire and the church will recruit professionals from this continent in large numbers to replenish their forces on the Abundant Continent.

A long war will leave those professionals weary of fighting.

Once the Calamity War ends, the divine abomination nests will fall dormant again and resume absorbing extraordinary properties from across the continent. Those properties will grow scarce once more.

The Abundant Continent will clearly be the only destination for professionals seeking greater breakthroughs.

That is one reason this continent has far fewer professionals than the Abundant Continent.

How can it develop when a century's accumulated talent is drained away at once?

This time, however, the Abundant Continent may have miscalculated.

Henwell has no intention of obliging the empire and the church. He will not let them take the people he has worked so hard to train.

When the time comes, if he refuses to release his people, no other country will dare let large numbers of its newly advanced professionals leave.

They would then have to face more than a hundred thousand professionals from Peace Haven.

Who would not be intimidated?

Who would dare strip his own country of its strength?

The church and the empire will not take kindly to losing the chance to replenish their forces. Henwell is certain, though, that they will not dare launch another war against him after the Calamity War.

Without the kingdoms' support, an expeditionary army sent all the way to Peace Haven would not necessarily gain the upper hand.

Eastern and western Lumir are certain to clash after the war. The Western Federation will have to mediate, and will favor one side while doing so.

Obilian is no pushover. He will not simply cooperate with the Western Federation.

Ika would love to see the other powers fight, giving it time to recover its losses.

The other powers feel much the same.

In practice, Henwell will only have to face the Western Federation and whatever expeditionary troops remain.

That is why Henwell needs his subordinates to behave themselves. They must stop causing trouble and making enemies everywhere, so Peace Haven can withstand the pressure from the empire and the church after the Calamity War.

More than half a month later, as the elites sent by the various countries arrive to join the mobile coalition army, one of Henwell's decisions meets unanimous opposition.

If someone had not held Melissa back, she would have scratched his face to pieces.

He has decided that Pabos, his eldest son, will lead the ten thousand selected elites joining the coalition.

How can he possibly do that?

Pabos is Henwell's eldest legitimate son, Peace Haven's heir and future ruler!

Every military and administrative leader firmly objects. Melissa is even less willing to let her son take such a risk.

For once, Henwell imposes his decision despite everyone's objections.

The other powers are also astonished when they learn that he is sending his eldest son.

They would not dare attack Pabos, but they will certainly try a few dirty tricks.

Pabos himself is excited. He even tries to talk his mother round, only to get a thorough scolding.

Henwell meets with him in private. "You're seventeen now, and you're about to advance to Grand Knight."

"A sheltered life won't make you a strong fighter. Book learning only takes you so far. You have to put what you've learned to the test and make it your own."

"Of course, it won't be as difficult as you imagine. Those ten thousand men are handpicked elites. Half of them are at Knight Rank."

"The middle and senior officers are experienced too. Consult them often."

"The Ika Kingdom is sending two commanders. One is Viscount Christian from Livos territory. He is an asset I planted long ago, and he owes me a favor."

"The other is Whistler, Viscount of Diversion Bay. He's my younger brother and your biological uncle."

"He doesn't know who you are, but your grandfather will certainly have spoken to him. He won't make things difficult for you."

"Billie's commander is Chasol, the son of Ruper, Marquess of Yinxin City. Ruper will tell his son to stay as close as possible to Peace Haven's troops."

"Ogiro is sending Count Divarak's eldest son. His father and I are partners, so he'll know where his priorities lie."

"Lumir is sending Marshal Clifford's son. That crafty old man's son is no fool either. He'll know what to do."

"As for Senar, the mobile coalition army's commander-in-chief, his older brother is your teacher. He's even less likely to cause you trouble."

"You see?"

"The others don't know any of this. The situation isn't as bad as they think. Of course there's danger; this is a war. But no one is going to deliberately harm you."